Page Setup consists of four basic pages which are used to define and set parameters for blank, tool, process, and control.
In Blank setup interface, the user can define Part, Material, Thickness, welds, and node history.
GEOMETRY
PARTS
The user is allowed to define blank by selecting Part or directly importing mesh file, as illustrated in Figure 10.3.3. Click the Define geometry… button, the program will pop up a DEFINE GEOMETRY dialog box, as illustrated in Figure 10.3.4.
Figure 10.3.3 Blank Parts
Figure 10.3.4 Define geometry
After the blank is defined, the defined blank parts are displayed under the Part label. The program has already defined the default material, thickness, and property automatically for each blank part. The user can modify this default material, thickness and property according to practical requirements. Refer to Section 8.2.4.2 for a detailed description about definition and setup of blank.
MATERIAL
The program will define a default 36# material for each defined blank part, as illustrated in Figure 10.3.5.
Figure 10.3.5 Scrap material
NOTE: If the user does not specify material for blank, BLANKMAT will display on the Define Material button. Once the material is specified for the blank, the material name will display on this button.
The user can enter the Material interface by clicking the button behind material to modify or create a material. Refer to Section 8.2.4.2 for a detailed description about the creation or modification operations of material.
WELDS
In simulation setup, the user can easily set the forming simulation for tailor welded blank and composite blank. After blank of multiple parts is defined, the user can set Welds option, as illustrated in Figure 10.3.6.
Figure 10.3.6 Define welds
If the user has already defined several welds, the welds information is displayed in the welds list.
ADD…
This function allows the user to define weld element by selecting adjacent node pair. Clicking this button, the program will pop up a Blank Weld dialog box illustrated in Figure 10.3.7. Refer to Section 8.2.4.2 for a detailed description about definition and editing of welds.
Figure 10.3.7 Blank Weld dialog box
NODE HISTORY
The user is allowed to select some nodes. Once the submission for calculation is completed, the program will automatically generate the stress-strain curve for the selected node, as illustrated in Figure 10.3.8
Figure 10.3.8 Node History dialog box
EDIT…
This function allows the user to select the desired nodes. Clicking this button, the program will pop up a History Node dialog box illustrated in Figure 10.3.9.
Figure 10.3.9 History node dialog box
In Tools setup interface, the user can add and delete tools, position tools, define tool Part and the contact between tools and blank. The main interface is illustrated in Figure 10.3.10.
Figure 10.3.10 Tools setup
TOOL LIST
All the currently defined tool names are listed on the left side of the Tools dialog box. Among all these tool names, there is a pressed button which indicates the current tool. The user may click this button to change the current tool. For every new simulation setup, the program will automatically create two default tools in the list: CUP and TOOL. Except for the tool part which is not defined, all the other basic parameters are default. Therefore, the user can directly define PART of each tool, which saves the time for defining tools.
NOTE: The newly created tool label is red, which indicates the definition of tool parameter is not completed. Similar to the auto-setup, in the simulation setup, the user must define each necessary parameter completely. Otherwise, the label remains red to prompt the user to finish the setup.
ADD TOOL
This function allows the user to create a tool in the current setup. The user can click the ADD button to display an Add Tool interface illustrated in Figure 10.3.11.
Figure 10.3.11 Add tool
NEW TOOL
The user is allowed to define a name for the current tool. The default tool name is tool1, tool2, tool3, etc. Usually, we suggest the user to define a meaningful name for the current tool for the ease of understanding, setting and checking errors.
DEFAULT SETTING
The user is allowed to set default parameters for the currently created tool, including default settings such as OFFSET. In the default setup, there are four selections: USE SETTING OF TOOL, USE DEFAULT SETTING, USE AS DUMMY CUP and USE AS GUIDE PIN.
USE SETTING OF TOOL: Use the parameters of an existing tool for the new tool. The user can select an existing tool in the pull-down list. The new tool only has the contact setup parameters of the existing tool.
USE DEFAULT SETTING: Use the default parameters to define a new tool. The user can modify each parameter after the new tool is created.
USE AS DUMMY CUP: Define the new tool as dummy cup. Since it is not the real cup tool, it will not move according to the curve during simulation.
USE AS GUIDE PIN: Define the new tool parameter as guide pin. Refer to the section about guide pin for a detailed description.
APPLY
The user may click this button to create new tool. The new tool will be added to the left tool list.
DELETE TOOL
This function allows the user to delete the current tool. The user can select a tool in tool list as the current tool. Then click the DELETE button to display a prompt dialog box, as illustrated in Figure 10.3.12.
Figure 10.3.12 Delete tool prompt dialog box
Click OK to delete the current tool. Click Cancel to cancel the current deleting operation. There should be at least two tools in the tool list, so the user cannot delete all the tools in the list. If there is only two tools in the list, the DELETE button is grey and not highlighted.
TOOL GEOMETRY
This function allows the user to define part for the current tool. The user may add one or multiple parts to the current tool. Clicking the Define geometry… button, the program will pop up a Define Geometry dialog box, as illustrated in Figure 10.3.13. Refer to Section 8.2.4.2 for a detailed description.
Figure 10.3.13 Define Geometry
After definition of tool geometry, the corresponding parts of this tool will display in the parts list.
POSITION
The user is allowed to position cup and reposition cup and blank. The Reposition Cup and Blank option is only available after completion of tool and process setups, as illustrated in Figure 10.3.14.
Figure 10.3.14 Tool position and reposition
Position: The user may position the tool by entering the moving distance between tool and HOME position.
Auto Position Cup: Allows the user to auto position cup. For the setup model, sometimes the cup does not contact with blank properly. Click this button to auto adjust the cup according to the blank position.
Reposition Cup and Blank: Allows the user to reposition cup and blank. This option is only available after defining the tool geometry, importing motion curve, and finishing the process setup. Toggling on this option, the program will automatically reposition cup and blank according to the motion track. The tool definition cannot be used at present.
The Auto Position Cup button can only be used in the Define Cup page. Reposition Cup and Blank option appears in all the Define Tools pages.
Process page includes the basic process parameters setups, such as Motion Curve, Flow Direction, and D3plot. The main interface is illustrated in Figure 10.3.15.
Figure 10.3.15 Process setup page
Motion Curve
This function allows the user to read and view the motion curve of press and set parameters.
IMPORT…: Allows the user to import press motion curve (*.xls). Click this button to display the OPEN dialog box.
VIEW…: Allows the user to view the read-in motion curve. Click this button to display the LOAD CURVE dialog box.
SPM (Stroke per minute): The default is 10. The user is allowed to modify this value according to practical requirements.
Begin (Deg.): The start angle of motion curve. In motion curve, this angle is corresponding to certain velocity and position, which means the press begins to catch blank from this angle.
End (Deg.): The end angle of motion curve. In motion curve, this angle is corresponding to certain velocity and position. The press finishes a cycle when it comes to this angle and returns to the initial position.
Drop (Deg.): The drop angle of motion curve. This angle is corresponding to certain velocity and position. When the press moves to this angle, the cup place the obtained blank on the tool part.
Flow Direction
This function allows the user to define the flow direction after the cup catches blank. The general stamping direction is Z-axis, so the blank can transfer along X axis or Y axis.
D3PLOT
This function allows the user to define the time interval of D3PLOT file. D3PLOT file is output at uniform interval. The user may also insert some necessary special frames.
EDIT
The user may insert some special frames in the D3PLOT output dialog box. Click this button to display a dialog box to define D3PLOT and four D3PLOT output control methods are provided for the user to set and edit. Refer to Section 8.2.4.4 for a detailed description about D3PLOT operations.
In Control page illustrated in Figure 10.3.16, the user is allowed to set some basic parameters to control calculation, such as Time step size, Selective mass scaling and Output ascii file. Refer to Section 8.2.4.5 for a detailed description about control setup.
Figure 10.3.16 Control page